Monday 6th July 2020, 3.25pm (day 3,238)
The scarecrow itself is long gone. But its boots remain, like a sort of imprint, or memory. I doubt they’ll scare the birds off much. But then again, nor do scarecrows, particularly.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: garden
Horned beetle
Monday 15th June 2020, 4.50pm (day 3,217)
The beetle negotiates the wood crevasse, in its funny little helmet (where are its eyes?) and feeling the way ahead with that unicorn horn, which is so protuberant that here it’s become annoyingly just out of focus. I have no idea what species this is; it’s not a European rhinoceros beetle as it’s the wrong colour and we’re not supposed to have them in the UK anyway. It was about an inch (2.5cm) long.
Ripening nicely
Saturday 13th June 2020, 3.50pm (day 3,215)
The redcurrants are getting there. Not that we get more than about two dozen of them annually, these days.
Grasshopper
Tuesday 2nd June 2020, 4.50pm (day 3,204)
I credit Clare as ‘spotter’ on this one. While on the allotment this afternoon she drew my attention to this insect and said, “Try getting a photo of this one.” And so I did. And thank you my love — I rather like the result. This grasshopper has a sense of nobility I think.
Plumlets
Thursday 14th May 2020, 5.25pm (day 3,185)
The plum tree in the garden is warming up for one of its summers of abundance. It has hundreds of these little plumlets happily soaking up the sunshine. If you want fresh plums, come see us in August. Hell, you might even be able to travel by then.
Eyes of the peacock
Thursday 23rd April 2020, 3.40pm (day 3,164)
Peacock butterfly, that is. This specimen positively batted its eyes at me, clearly it wanted its close-ups doing; but then again, with a pair of eyes like that, who wouldn’t. It seems to be a good spring for butterflies, there are plenty of them about. Maybe it’s because we humans aren’t disturbing them so much this year, but more likely is just that it’s been warm and sunny.
Thanks, Ciara
Thursday 13th February 2020, 1.55pm (day 3,094)
The storm last Sunday took our allotment shed and flipped it neatly upside-down, while nestling it comfortably beside our neighbour’s greenhouse (which only partly survived the experience). We could move it, but I believe Ciara’s sibling Dennis is on the way in this coming weekend to entertain us further, so let’s leave it there for now, it’s probably safer where it is.
Garden on Foster Lane
Monday 27th January 2020, 11.35am (day 3,077)
A brief interlude at home in Hebden, between trips. It still refuses to get particularly wintry. I have always liked this garden, passed on the way to the shops from our house: it is past due an appearance here. Today it can have its moment.
New Year Robin
Wednesday 1st January 2020, 10.55am (day 3,051)
Welcome to 2020. As with 1/1/19, the weather on the first day of this new year was glorious, and may the rest be the same (it won’t happen). I can’t imagine that life as a small bird is easy in the winter but this robin (like others of its species) seems to have humanity sussed: I was digging over part of the garden when he turned up, clearly waiting for me to finish so it could get at the worms with that dagger-like beak and fill its belly before the frosts come (if they ever do).
Solitary
Wednesday 4th December 2019, 10.50am (day 3,023)
Really didn’t feel like engaging with people today. Let this shot be a metaphor for that state of mind…. or perhaps, just the only thing I really felt like photographing today, up in the garden. At least the sun was shining. This was the day’s only redeeming feature.
Being 42 